COUNTY NEWS: Amber Rudd resigns as Home Secretary

Hastings and Rye MP Amber Rudd has resigned as Home Secretary this evening (Sunday April 29) according to national reports.

The Conservative politician, who retained her seat in Parliament by just 346 votes in last year’s general election from Labour, was appointed to the position when Theresa May became Prime Minister in 2016.

Mrs Rudd has come under fire over the last week for the Government’s handling of the Windrush scandal, where some migrants from Commonwealth countries, who settled in the UK, and their relatives had been declared illegal immigrants.

She then apologised on Friday for saying she had not been aware of specific targets for the removal of illegal immigrants.

Mrs Rudd was due to make a statement in Parliament on Monday, but national media are reporting she has handed in her resignation to Mrs May, who has accepted it.

Before succeeding Mrs May as the holder of one of the country’s highest offices, Mrs Rudd was Secretary for Energy and Climate Change in David Cameron’s Government.